Unified Vietnam, Map of Unified Vietnam, November 7th, 1977, Michel Nr. 943-947; Five stamps with the nominals of 4 xu, 5 xu, 10 xu, 12 xu and 30 xu were issued in perforation 11.0. Klewitz reports two different types of these stamps (darker map and frame colors vs. lighter colors and white lines or no white lines around the circular blue lines across the map) however the editor believes these differences are simply a matter of tonality (how much printing color was guided the printing plate) and small passer-shifts of the blue color up- or downwards. These stamps are also known to exist on rough and clean perforation.

Mint blocks of four of the set:

Printing errors do occur. Here is a 10 xu stamp that shows a double strike of the black color caused by a not tightly strung rubber mat creating a deeper black.

Here is a mint pair of the 10 xu stamp that shows a printing error on the lower part of the stamps. Here the orange-brown and black colors are partially missing. Also there are green color smears.

Here is a block of four of the 10 xu value that shows a small perforation error between the lower two stamps. Here one tooth of the perforation comb was broken off which caused the small area to remain im-perforated.

Here is detailed view of the affected area:

This strip of five 12 xu stamps shows a plate error on the right two stamps. A horizontal line appears on top of the right child’s hand making it look like the child carries a tray.

Here is a detailed view of the affected area:

First Day Cover of the 10 xu stamp. The letter travelled inside Ho Chi Minh City where the required postage was only 6 xu (intra-city tariff).

Rare single franking of the 5xu value on a domestic letter sent from HCM City to Quan 6 in April of 1978.

Rare mixed franking of the 5xu value paying the 50% discounted intra-city rate of 10xu in April of 1978 on a local letter between Cho Dao (a village outside of HMC City) to Ho Chi Minh City.

Rare local letter featuring a single franking of the 10xu value paying the 50% discounted intra-city rate on a letter from Vinh Long (a village outside of HCM City) to Ho Chi Minh City in March of 1978.

Rare single franking of the 10xu value on a letter to a member of the Vietnamese Military (note the Hom Thu number in the address) using the 50% discounted intra-city rate in March of 1978.

Rare single franking of the 10xu value on a local letter sent from Ho Chi Minh City to Long Than (a suburb of HCM City) paying the 50% discounted intra-city letter rate.

Multiple franking of the 10 xu value paying an overall postage of 20 xu on a domestic letter sent from Quy Nhon to HCM City in December of 1977. HCM City machine arrival cancel on front.

Rare single franking of the 12xu value paying the standard domestic letter rate in 1978.

Another rare single franking of the 12 xu value on a domestic air mail letter sent from Cho Moi (small post office) to Hai Hung in June of 1978.

Single franking of the 30 xu value on a domestic letter sent to HCM City.

Single franking of the 30xu stamp on a domestic letter sent from Hanoi to HCM City in March of 1982.

International air mail letter sent in March of 1982 from The Nghe (small post office) to Paris, France carrying two of the 1D Nguyen Trai stamps plus the 30 xu Unified Vietnam stamp paying an overall postage of 2.30D.

Mixed franking of five of the 5xu Map stamp together with the 50xu  Communist Party stamp paying an overall 75xu postage on a local letter from 1984.

Very rare local registered letter sent in June of 1978 from Vinh-Long to Ho Chi Minh City. Not many local registered letters have survived. It is franked with the 20xu Cuban Vietnamese Brotherhood stamp and one of the 10xu Unified Vietnam stamps for an overall postage of 30xu. Given that the domestic letter rate as of December 1st, 1976 was 12xu and the registration fee 24xu it appears that the letter was not properly paid for. However, no postage due remarks were added. Various transit/arrival cancels on the reverse.

Rare local letter with a mixed franking of two 5xu Map stamps together with the 2xu Total Liberation stamp paying the 12xu domestic letter rate in 1978.

Mixed franking mated in January of 1978 to Paris, France. The letter carries the 5 xu map stamp plus some stamps of the October Revolution stamps for an overall postage of 2.08 Dong.

Mixed franking of three October Revolution stamps together with other NVN stamps (including a pair of the 5xu Map stamps) paying an overall postage of 2.08D on an air-mail letter sent to Paris, France in 1979.

Air mail letter from February of 1978 sent to Paris, France. It carries a block of ten of the 10 xu stamp, an October Revolution and the “Poland” and Communist Party stamps for an overall postage of 2.08 Dong.

Mass franking of twelve of the 10xu Map stamps together with other NVN stamps and one 12xu National Liberation stamp from 1976. In 1976 the currencies of North and South Vietnam were harmonized and these mixed frankings of NLF and Not Vietnamese stamps were allowed. The overall postage amounted to 3.44D. The letter was sent by air-mail to Paris, France.

Mixed franking on a letter front of the 20xu Cuban Vietnamese Brotherhood stamp plus the 10xu HCM stamp and 1D October Revolution stamp for an overall postage of 1.30D on an air mail letter to Hong Kong.

Rare express mail letter sent to Klewitz in July of 1978. It carries the entire set, some of the October revolution stamps , orchid stamps and Communist Party Congress stamps. The overall postage amounted to 4.95 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse.

Another very rare  registered express mail letter sent from Hue to Klewitz in March of 1978. It carries five of the 12 xu flower stamps and the very rare “Upside Down Tank” error. This error was created by an upside-down print run of the blue color that was erroneously carried out. Also the 10 xu map stamp features a double print of the black color.  Error stamps on postally used cover are very rare. Overall postage amounted to 5.01 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse. Green Fulda customs cachet on front.

Detailed scan of the error stamp:

Very rare  registered express mail letter sent from Hue to Klewitz in March of 1978. It carries one of the 12 xu flower stamps and the very rare “Upside Down Tank” error. This error was created by an upside-down print run of the blue color that was erroneously carried out. Error stamps on postally used cover are very rare. There is also the 10 xu map stamp.Overall postage amounted to 5.15 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse. Green Fulda customs cachet on front.

Here is a detailed scan of the error stamp:

Rare registered express mail letter set to Klewitz in December of 1970. It carries one of the  5 xu stamps plus other NVN stamps from the period for an overall postage of 5.77 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse. Fulda green custom cachet on front.

Very rare registered letter sent to Klewitz in March of 1982. It features a mis-perforated 60 xu stamp where the horizontal perforation was moved downwards and runs across the stamps image. Again error stamps on postally used cover are very rare. There are also three of the 5 xu map stamps. The overall postage amounted to 8.31 Dong. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered letter sent to Klewitz in February of 1982. It carries a number of the 10 xu flower stamps in different color variations. There are also six of the map stamps. The overall postage amounted to 11 Dong. Unusual red cancel. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Another very rare registered letter sent to Klewitz in April of 1982. It carries a block of four that shows the missing dark green color on the top let stamp. This is a re-occuring plate error. Error stamps on postally used cover are very rare. There are also three of the 10 xu ma stampsThe overall postage amounted to 8.24 Dong. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in August of 1978. The letter carries half of the perforated Sport Games set plus the lower values of the Map set for an overall postage of 4.21 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in August of 1978. The letter carries the other half of the perforated set plus two of the Map stamps for an overall postage of 4.00 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Rare registered express mail letter sent to Klewitz in August of 1978. It carries the National Union set thrice plus the 12 xu Map stamp. The overall postage amounted to 4.20 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Another rare registered express mail letter mailed to Klewitz in August of 1978. The letter carries the other half of the perforated plus the 30 xu Map stamp. The overall postage amounted to 4.04 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Rare registered express mail letter sent in May of 1981 from Quan 5 (Cholon) to West Germany. It carries two of the regular Socialist republic 6 xu stamps plus other flag stamps for an overall postage of 13.68 Dong. Curious use of three free franks totaling 12 Dong. There are also two of the Map stamps. Unusual hand-made express mail label. Fulda arrival cancel on the reverse.

Registered letter sent from Quan 5 (Cholon) to Klewitz in August of 1981. It carries a strip of five of the Lotus stamp (Perf. 11.0), a single Lotus stamp on white paper (Post Master Perf. 9.5) and a pair of the Lotus stamp on yellowish paper (Post Master Perf. 9.5). There is also a strip of five of the 1978 Flower series with the most right stamp missing the name of the designer at the bottom. 4 xu and 12 xu Map stamp on front. The overall postage amounted to 8.24 (including the free frank for 5.90 Dong). Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered letter sent from Quan 5 (Cholon) to Klewitz in October of 1981. It features the Women Union set plus two 10 xu Map stamps for an overall postage of 8.78 Dong (including the red free frank of 5.90 Dong). Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered Letter sent from Ho Chi Minh City to Klewitz in July of 1981. The letter carries the other half of the perforated Flower set plus the 30 xu Map stamp for an overall postage of 8.02 Dong (including the red free frank of 4.8 Dong). Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered letter sent from Quan 5 (Ho Chi Minh City) to Klewitz in January of 1982. The letter carries a strip of three Reforestation stamps (Michel Nr. 1188). The left stamp shows the plate error “stone at HCM’s foot”. Errors stamps on postally used cover are very rare.  Five Map stamps on front. The overall postage amounted to 8.28 Dong.

Rare very large registered express mail letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in May of 1982. The letter carries a large number of stamps from the Animal set that show different color tones. Unusual use of three different free franks on the reverse. A number of Map stamps in front and back. The overall postage amounted to 18.56 Dong. Fulda arrival cancel on the back.Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registered letter sent from Nguyen Trai to Klewitz in March of 1983. The letter carries a 50 xu World Congress stamp with the plate error “dot above X” and the very rare Post Master Perforation (Perf 15) of the 12 xu Lotus stamp. Error stamps and Post Master Perforations on postally used cover are very rare. 30 xu Map stamp in front. The overall postage amounted to 9.33 Dong. Green Fulda custom cachet on front.

Registration Nr. 102610

Comments are closed.